UNITED for Health Rwanda

The UNITED for Health initiative builds on previous VLIR-UOS South Initiative sponsored work in Rwanda in partnership with KULeuven and University College Leuven Limburg. Since 2019, UNITED for Health has grown into an initiative now co-owned by the University of Rwanda and the Ministry of Health/Rwanda Biomedical Center.

It aims to strengthen the healthcare system in Rwanda through creating synergies between universities, care providers, NGOs, the private sector, and policymakers in the health sector. Through an online presence and face-to-face UNITED for Health day, we facilitate student internships, student's theses and joint research projects, share opportunities on research grants, research trainings, and scholarships; and promote events in the health sector in Rwanda.

Building on previous successes and challenges, we wish to continue and grow our activities and further expand on the initiative by developing much-needed support systems to host international interns twinning with Rwandan students; and to improve our pre-grant management communication as we are not making optimal use of existing opportunities.